Oh, heavenly woman, who stood beside the tray, who fed her and warmed
her while she was yet weak and babyish from sleep! Beyond her the white
plains of beauty shone outside the window.... She sat up and smiled:
"I'm awake," she said.
And Madame Boujan, having seen that her feet were set upon the threshold
of day, went out of the door and closed it softly.
They held the lustre bowls cupped in their hands and sipped.
* * * * *
During lunch in the little villa, while they were all recounting their
experiences, Madame Boujan came softly to Fanny's side and whispered:
"A soldier has brought you a note from Chantilly."
"Keep it for me in the kitchen," Fanny answered, under her breath,
helping herself to potatoes.
"Will you come and cut wood for the bedroom fire?" said Stewart, when
lunch was over. "I bought a hatchet in the village this morning."
"Come down by the river first," insisted Fanny, who had her note in her
hand.
"Why? And it gets dark so soon!"
"I want to find a boat."
"What for?"
"To cross the river."
"To cross the river! Do you want to see what's on the other side?"
"Julien will be on the other side.... I have had a letter from him. I am
to dine in Chantilly. He will send a car at seven to wait for me in the
fields at the other side of the broken bridge, and trusts to me to find
a boat.
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